Thermostats are widely used in dwellings and other temperature-controlled spaces. In many cases, thermostats are mounted on a wall or the like to allow for the measurement and control of the temperature, humidity and/or other environmental parameter within the space. Thermostats come in a variety of shapes and with a variety of functions. Some thermostats are electromechanical in nature, and often use a bimetal coil to sense and control the temperature setting, typically by shifting the angle of a mercury bulb switch. These thermostats typically have a mechanical user interface, such as a rotating knob or the like, to enable the user to establish a temperature set point. More advanced electronic thermostats have built in electronics, often with solid state sensors, to sense and control various environmental parameters within a space. The user interface of many electronic thermostats includes software controlled buttons and/or a display.
It has been found that while electronic thermostats often provide better control, thermostats with a mechanical user interface can often be more intuitive to use for some users. Many users, for example, would be comfortable with a rotating knob that is disposed on a thermostat for setting a desired set point or other parameter. However, to provide increased functionality and/or user feedback, it has been found that locating non-rotating parts such as displays, buttons, indicator lights, noise making devices, logos, temperature indicators, and/or other suitable devices or components near and/or inside the rotating knob or member can be desirable. The present invention provides methods and apparatus for locating a non-rotating part or parts near or inside of a rotating knob or member, while still allowing the rotating knob or member to set and/or control one or more parameters of the thermostat.